This invention relates generally to slot machines, also known as coin operated gaming machines, and in particular a mechanical reel, or a video slot machine, wherein a plurality of winning lines, also known as pay lines, are formed during a plurality of spins.
Slot machines are well known, and have been around for many years. Examples of traditional slot machines include gaming devices wherein a plurality of symbols is provided on the periphery of a plurality of rotating reels. The reels are randomly stopped and a win decision is made based on the combination of symbols stopping at a single winning line, or a plurality of winning lines. Video slot machines are also known wherein a micro-processor is used to control the functions performed by the machine and a CRT, or an LCD screen is provided to depict the action of the rotating reels.
The prior art of slot machines has a common characteristic of determining if a win has occurred during a single spin of the reels that corresponds to a wager by the player. Also, certain prior art slot machines allow one or more reels to move by one position after the reels come to a complete stop, prior to the determination of a win. Further, other prior art slot machines are designed to re-spin one or more reels, and repeat the outcome, upon the occurrence of a pre-designated symbol as part of bonus play. However, to the inventor's knowledge, none of the slot machines known in the art employs symbols occurring at a pay line during a plurality of independent spins to populate new pay lines. The gaming device described in this invention incorporates such new concept, which offers the player a plurality of independent spins for the occurrence of a winning combination of symbols at one, or a plurality of winning lines. This new concept could be implemented as a primary gaming device, or as a bonus game, which provides a player a plurality of free spins during which the player can form winning combinations at one, or a plurality of pay lines.